Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Design on a Dime

Design on a dime- or 15 bucks! A great arrangement doesn't need to cost a lot to look good.  A customer wanted to give three Christmas arrangements to some friends- so this is what I came up with:
Three different arrangements that all together used just one bunch of grocery store (GASP!) flowers that cost me about $15.00.  I also gathered greens from around town and recycled some containers that I already had.  The ribbon and bows were made from fragments from Christmas' past. 



If you are interested in a festive arrangement to have on your table this Christmas, please contact me at jsh.naturalelegance@gmail.com.  I'm taking orders now for everything from simple to sophisticated.  

Saturday, December 7, 2013

O Tannenbaum


Looks like lots of folks are searching for the perfect Christmas tree this weekend. What fun! Check out this story I did for WFSB's Better Connecticut on the 3 tricks to make your prized Tannenbaum last all season by clicking HERE!

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Table Top Inspiration

Just in time for the holiday season, here are some table tops to inspire your own decorating- all tables are from the 2013 Set to Celebrate event put on by the CT Valley Garden Club. If you were not able to catch the show in Hartford this year, be sure to check it out next year as the showcase of tables gets (somehow) better and better every year!
 







 





Feeling inspired to add a few things to the dinner table tonight?
I know I am!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Celebrating Set to Celebrate

photo by MaryEllen Fillo
It's always fun to have be approached by a reporter and asked to have your picture taken! Just like at last night's Preview Cocktail Party for Set to Celebrate.  MaryEllen Fillo did a terrific piece for the Java column of The Courant which you can read by clicking HERE.  The picture above is of me and my husband in front of the table I designed with three of my friends- more about that later!

I can't wait to share all of my pictures from the event with you.  You can see pic from last year's Set to Celebrate in this earlier post: Set 2 Celebrate.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

There's No Business Like

New business!
 
 
Look who arrived in the mailbox....my new business cards!
I look forward to hearing from you soon!



Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Set to Celebrate


Once a year an event comes along that you don't want to miss.  It's the who's who of tablescapes in Hartford with an excellent cause behind it.  You know what I'm talking about- Set to Celebrate!

Set to Celebrate is a fundraiser for the Heritage Rose Garden at Elizabeth Park put on by the Connecticut Valley Garden Club.  In only its third year, it has gained tremendous attention in Connecticut and news of this event is quickly spreading.

S2C is held at the Town and County Club in Hartford, Connecticut and is a houseful of inspiration table tops and mantles adorned with outstanding fresh floral arrangements and are literally, Set to Celebrate!
 
Click HERE to watch the interview I did with Scot Haney on WFSB's Better Connecticut about S2C. 

I look forward to seeing you at Set to Celebrate this year- it's open to the public on Friday, November 15 and Saturday November 16 from 10am-4pm! Be sure to check our the Set to Celebrate website HERE to buy tickets and for directions to the Town and County Club.


 
 
All of the pictures in this post were taken from the 2012 Set to Celebrate.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Fabulous Flowers in Philly

This past weekend my husband and I enjoyed a much needed weekend away and spent it in Philadelphia.  We stayed at The Latham Hotel with is in the Rittenhouse Square section of town.  We were spinning with the choices of restaurants and shops and I killed my camera battery taking pictures of the incredible planters and window boxes that graced nearly every apartment building, store front and maybe even the spaces in between.  Here are a few of my favorites:  

The magic of three: Boxwood, Ornamental Pepper and Creeping Jenny



 
The Dandelion Restaurant- The food is as yummy as their planters!

Ferns and Sweet Potato Vine




 
If you are into history, museums, food or flowers, Philly is a terrific place to visit and we are already looking forward to returning!
More tomorrow on The Barnes Foundation and
Eastern State Penitentiary!        

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Fresh for Fall


Switching things up a bit is always refreshing- whether painting a room a new color, re-organizing the kitchen and especially changing your planters from one season to the next. 

It's September and time for a fresh new look for fall.  Some of my plants are looking tired after performing all summer and practically whispering, "We just can't go on." And to tell you the truth, I'm getting tired of looking at them! It's just time to go. 

So the questions is what do you use for fall containers?  I'm over mums- they bloom fast and hard and then you need to either replace them or buy something new to fill in that rather large space that they always occupy. 
 
Click HERE to see my demonstration on
WFSB's Better Connecticut with the plants below!
 
Here are my personal favorites for fall:
-Flowing Cabbage and Kale: These are just as yummy in the garden as they are on your dinner plate!

-Asters: Good long lasting color and hardy perennial so you can enjoy them again next year.


-Pansies: These fragrant beauties are not just for spring with perfect fall color and frost tolerance.

-Grass: Texture, texture, texture, need I say more?

-Tri-color Sage (any hardy herbs, actually): Looks great, smells great, tastes great.

-Perennial Salvia: Like Asters, good long lasting color that pays now and for years to come.

-Coral Bells: My all time favorite perennial with uses never stop impressing.

There are unlimited possibilities for grouping these together in a container and window box.  This fall I did something different- and I'm loving it.  Each plant was given it's own individual container and I grouped the lot together for this season's fresh look! In my next post I will show you how I did it!